Hi, I just came across this board and it is really great. I am planning on Studying abroad in Wollongong, Australia next Spring from Feb-July. I am really looking into leaving 2 weeks early to backpack New Zealand, Fiji Islands, and anywhere else you guys think might be worthwhile in the area. I guess I am just asking if anybody has any suggestions of places I should go and what kind of costs I should expect (for the backpacking portion). I will be studying at the University of Wollongong and all my costs related to those 6 months will be covered. I'm just wondering what I'm looking at ($) to fly around to New Zealand, Fiji, anywhere else and backpack (I assume there are hostels?). I've never traveled like this before but I am really pumped. I have already started to plan a Euro trip when I graduate (3 years) college with a friend of mine and I wasn't really looking into backpacking with my study abroad until an advisor at my school mentioned students sometimes do it. Thanks in advance!

How did tee up the woolongong gig? But anyways, im not so familiar with places to hit up in NZ/fiji, but what i do know is that there are plenty of people on these boards that have, and you will definately get some quality info.

...oh, and definately see if you can leave those 2 weeks earlier, you will have a blast.

Yo Ozpacka, Thanks for the welcome. I hail from East Lansing, Michigan straight outta Michigan State University. I've always wanted to study abroad and I decided on Australia because there is no language barrier and it is just so far away and foreign. Plus I love that sorta climate in the south pacific. Anyways, I actually applied to the University of NEw South Wales program but I just found out today actually that MSU added the Wollongong program. Turns out the UNSW is straight up IVY league material, and one of the best universities in the country. Wollongong sounds A LOT more laid back and just as nice (both on the beach) plus it's only 90 min from Sydney. I mean It's not that I'm a bad student, its just I am definietly not studying abroad to get my arse kicked and swamped with school work. I am going for the experience and to TRAVEL! So thats how I decided on my destination. Like I said, I'd really like to leave 2 weeks early and hit up NZ and Fiji plus give myself some time to maybe go to Melbourne and some of the Gold Coast. I'll be studying there for 6 months though so I will be sure to make plenty of time to see the country.

A buckeye eh? Good thing I'm not a wolverine or else you'd be in trouble, lol. One thing we have in common is our hatred of that damn school in Ann Arbor! Thanks for checking on your friend, it'd be great to know somebody before I even got there.

You lucky lucky thing getting to spend 6 months in Wollongong. While I'm now living in Melbourne, I grew up on the NSW south coast. Some definate must-sees places around the Wollongong area are:
Shellharbour
Austinmer (my home town - the most gorgeous surf beach on the coast)
Stanwell Tops (to watch the hang-gliders off the top of the cliffs)

I got an e-mail from her yesterday, thinking it was the reply. It was just, as I call it, "Friend Spam." You know those people who feel they have to forward every joke to you, with about 3 pages of previous headers that haven't been edited?

If she doesn't get back to me again in another day or so, I'll send her another e-mail. If you want to read about who she is, check out my Bali travelogue on my web page. It is Juliana.

worldwidemike

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Check out my travel web page at:Worldwidemike.com"Life is not measured in the number of breaths we take, but by the places that take our breath away..."